The invention relates to the field of apparatus for mounting a dish satellite antenna, in particular, mounting a dish satellite antenna in a window frame with no physical intervention in the frame casing or jams.
The first generation of dish satellite antennae were so large and heavy that they had to be mounted on the ground. However, since the new version of this type of antenna typically weighs about ten pounds being made mostly of plastic with some metal parts and has a diameter of only about 20 inches, non-ground installations are now preferred. Due to the substantial popularity of such devices, they have become almost as common as the old style xe2x80x9cclotheslinexe2x80x9d antenna dating back to the 50""s.
Due to their small size and weight, it is now practical to install the present units on a roof, the side of a dwelling or on a chimney. U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,340 discloses a mounting device that is intended to mount a satellite antenna though a window in a building. However, this device is designed to be fastened to the building with the fastening mechanism inside the structure. This device also requires placing screws or bolt holes in the dwelling which may be prohibited by the building owner. While one alternative provides for fastening the structure without screws or bolts, an extremely awkward floor to ceiling anchoring arrangement is used instead, thus interfering with the total use of the room. Further, since the anchoring structure is inside the building and dish is desired to be placed on the outside, the normal open and closing of the window or screen is disrupted.
A mounting structure that is easily installable without requiring the insertion of bolts or screws in the building, that is capable of mounting a dish on the outside of standard windows, including those having brick jams, that can be removed without causing damage to the structure, that permits the dish to be mounted from inside the building on an floor irrespective of that floor""s distance above the ground, and that permits normal operation of the window and/or screen is not taught in the prior art.
The invention is an apparatus for mounting a satellite dish having a mounting bracket in a window jam opening for a window. A mounting board having a length corresponding to the width of the window jam opening and having a width corresponding to the width of the mounting bracket is provided. The mounting board may include side accordion sections to cover the entire width of the window jam. At least one tensioning member rigidly is connected to said mounting board such that tensioning said at least one tensioning member releasably fastens said mounting board within the window jam opening. The apparatus is positioned on the outside of the window. The window can be opened and closed without interference from said apparatus. The mounted board features at least one slot such that water is prevented from accumulating behind said mounting board and the window and wherein a cable from the dish may be inserted therethrough.
Therefore, it is an aspect of the invention to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that can be mounted on a building window from inside the structure yet have the entire mounting apparatus be outside the structure.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that can be mounted without the use of screws, bolts, or other fasteners which make holes in the mounting surface.
It is still another aspect of the invention to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture and be easily fabricated using readily available components.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that use with apartment buildings, particularly apartment buildings having brick window jams.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that can be used with double hung, or sliding windows without interfering with the normal operation of the window.
Still another aspect of the invention to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that can be used with standard wood window jams by using a reinforcing member for windows that may lack the dimensional stability necessitated by the tensioning members.
Still another aspect of the invention is to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that be installed from inside a building on a window irrespective of the particular floor that the window is located.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that can be easily removed and can be taken to a different location.
Finally, it is an aspect of the invention to provide a releasable satellite dish mounting apparatus that enables the satellite to function in accordance to the manufacturer""s recommendations.